Zimbabwe has received US$32mn worth of agricultural implements from Brazil under the first phase of the Zimbabwe-Brazil More Food for Africa Programme

The shipment will provide a boost to the southern African country's agriculture sector ahead of the upcoming summer cropping season. Vice-president of the country, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said that the government was expecting to receive another US$6mn worth of implements from Brazil in October this year.

Under the programme, Brazil has pledged to supply farming implements worth US$98mn to Zimbabwe in three phases. In the first phase, US$38mn worth of implements were to be supplied, of which US$6mn worth is still outstanding, Mnangagwa explained.

Speaking about the distribution strategy for the implements to reach selected groups of farmers, the V-P said, "We have already set up eight strategic centres in each province from where the targeted beneficiaries will access the implements." He added that some of the implements have already been distributed.

The government expects that the farming implements will help to enhance the agricultural productivity of the country and to ensure food security at the household level.

Mnangagwa also revealed that the government had struck a deal with Egypt under which Zimbabwe would supply cotton, wheat and maize to the North African country through contract farming. Egypt will supply seeds, implements and other resources needed while Zimbabwe would provide land for the project.